Diabetes Mellitus is a condition wherein the blood sugar is high but it takes quite a toll on all the other organs in the body, including the kidneys. Causing Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is just one of the lesser evils. Diabetes can reduce blood supply to the kidneys by narrowing the blood vessels to the kidneys, this can even cause Renal Papillary Necrosis, a part of the affected kidney to die.
Diabetes and Chronic Kidney disease
Diabetes Mellitus is a condition wherein the blood sugar is high but it takes quite a toll on all the other organs in the body, including the kidneys. Causing Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is just one of the lesser evils. Diabetes can reduce blood supply to the kidneys by narrowing the blood vessels to the kidneys, this can even cause Renal Papillary Necrosis, a part of the affected kidney to die. Also, it can interfere with the function of filters within the kidneys resulting in progressively increasing protein leak in the urine. All these problems leading to irreversible loss of kidney function over time, triggering Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Around 1/3rd of patients on dialysis for CKD have diabetes, which is the most common cause of CKD. Diabetes takes at least 5-7 years to affect the kidney. If left undiagnosed, kidney disease symptoms surface sooner.
The early symptoms of kidney involvement in a diabetic patient are:
- Froth in urine
- Swelling of the face, legs, and abdomen
If the condition worsens the patients may have:
- Reduced urine output
- Increased blood pressure
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Tiredness
- Breathlessness
- Frequent episodes of low sugar (Hypoglycaemia)
Diabetic patients can determine the deteriorating condition of their kidneys by testing their urine for Micro-albumin. If a patient suffers from serious kidney failure, treatments like dialysis and kidney transplants are done.
Not every diabetic patient may suffer from kidney disease. Meticulous control of blood sugar and blood pressure are known to prevent kidney diseases. Following the routine of a healthy lifestyle with the right medication at the right time will help in keeping the kidneys’ health intact.
